While I believe the intention was to honor Indigenous traditions, language like this can unintentionally perpetuate historical erasure and anti-Blackness.
As an Afro-Chicana, I deeply honor our Indigenous ancestors, many of whom had to conceal their spiritual practices within Catholicism to survive colonization.
But we also need to acknowledge our African roots. Enslaved Africans arrived in Mexico in the 1500s, and traditions like Danza de los Diablos, performed during Día de Muertos, preserve that lineage and shared connection between African and Indigenous people. Even Mexico’s second president, Vicente Guerrero, had African and Indigenous ancestry.
Mexico has a long history of erasing its Blackness. As we reconnect with our indigeneity, I think it's important to be mindful not to reproduce the same colonial erasure we’re trying to dismantle.
PS: please give me grace for jumping between Los~working on my westernized tongue 😆
#diademuertos #diadelosmuertos
6 days agoshanlabanane
Before the Spanish and the Africans were on the land, what were the practices of that land? If indigenous are matrifocal then each area of land has already revealed the practices for the indigenous who have been of that ecosphere for millennia, and who holds the authority in those practices. Go deeper rooted. Spirits are the foundation of colonization, the humans just follow.
6 days agoashokas.story
I'm going to enter the conversation... I'm a black woman who grew up on the border and I practice dia de los muertos. I have to. After the sudden death of my mother a Mexican friend of mine told me to build an ofrenda for her. My mother showed up and I actually accidentally photographed her. I will never stop observing this blessed & sacred time. That being said. I practice Lucumi. I have an ancestor altar up all year long. I honor ancestors in the West African way at least every Sunday.
6 days agohuicholamade
Heads up, my comments are limited to followers only so that’s why you weren’t able to comment.
7 days agocoolwatergreensky
I think most Native things passing through synchronism to survive inherently become more open to the public. I guess we gotta ask what we are fighting to protect and go one step further into the decolonial work ourselves.
7 days agolunaxochitl__
Thank you for sharing about the danza de Diablo’s , I didn’t know that was African origins but makes sense, my family has Afro indigenous ancestry and I love learning brujería and how it was practiced during colonial times bc it’s such a blend of indigenous magic and African influence. In terms of being a “closed” practice, I think many of us are on the same page with Mexican ancestry that it’s closed to white folk and settlers. If you have Mexican ancestry or are in the culture (like married in, live in Mexico, etc) that’s different, but for me white settler ppl who don’t advocate for us and have no connection, it’s a no, bc I already see so much of our culture becoming a market and monetized by whites. It needs to stop, for example, the wellness world has taken indigenous birthing bodywork with el rebozo and white folks sell courses on it now. That’s also closed to non Mexican white folk., maybe one day when we’re not oppressed and targeted on our own continent we’ll share our practices
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